Magic Pen

Magic Pen is a physics-based puzzle playground created by Alejandro Guillen (Spin the Black Circle). It's easy to see the design, from visual style to overall concept, was taken from Crayon Physics, but because Magic Pen was done in Flash, it's much more accessible. Using the mouse, simply draw shapes to create bridges and guide the red ball to the flag. Making shapes and dropping them from the sky will set the ball in motion, and you can also craft structures with hinges (both fixed and movable) for more complex maneuvers.

217 Comments

2) Unless it counts towards my score (and I don't see a score anywhere), don't tell me how many objects I used. That makes me feel like I have to minimize the object count, but that count is hardly my fault. With realistic (i.e. unpredictable) physics, I may have to drop more than one weight to get something up a hill, etc.

It's adorable and fun, but I hate the way it assumes shapes. For example, if you try to draw something shaped like the outline of a T it will round out the bottom instead of going in and down... Sorry if that's not explained well, I'm not sure how to word it.

Level 12 is actually pretty easy, I did it with only 3 objects. Just build a long span balanced on the orange block, pin it to the red square with a vertical block, then pin something really heavy to the other end so as to swing the red block upwards into the flag.

I haven't had any luck getting enough momentum going in level 13 though.

Created a hammer to get the ball as high as possible, and then blocked it from rolling down. Then I built a string of blocks to the starting point. Using the set block and hinges, I created long, skinny upright blocks that tilted left above the static block, and dropped things on top of it, essentially using torque to drive the blocks suspending the ball up the hill more. Think of it like a hammer and a nail. Took a while, but I eventually got it up there.

Randomly Orderly: You can make any shape using pins. Just pin convex shapes together to make complicated stuff.

I love the game, but it's too short! The second time through, I breezed through all the levels. I'd love to see some hideously challenging ones that would require really complex mechanisms. And bigger levels at that ^^

tymbri: I agree. The game is awesome but some of the levels I completed with sheer brute force.

Level 25:

I drew a triangle on the upper platform and then a chain from the top of the rectangle over the triangle. Then I added weights to the end of the chain on the left until gravity pulled the box up, over and out of the way of the flag.

lay a chain on the ground underneath the hanging chains and connect it to the box on the left and to some huge object on the right that will fall off the screen and drag the box thru the hanging chains to the flag

there are some levels which are hard, but all can be solved with a few tactics

You make a chain, doesnt need many links, usually just 3 links at most connected to the ball. make as big a sphere as possible near the edge of the map, add a fixed weight to it internally to start it rolling off the map.
add the chain fast just as the ball starts to fall. that is enough weight to drag the whole chain over just about anything. Why use levers when you can use pulleys and a weight?

of course, that is why I didnt score so well. If I did things the hard way I'd have done better, but at 3am I havent the patience :P

I'm quite a big fan of the humble crane, myself.. Which works particularly well for Level 25:

As you can see in this picture, all that is now required is to attach a large weight to the pivot and the box will neatly be lifted up.. Can be applied to most other levels, too. Whilst the ball / squared being dragged by the chain is usually easiest, it's nice to have a bit of fun with other mechanisms too :)http://img368.imageshack.us/my.php?image=craneel8.jpg

i cant get level 11 too but i have moved the ball to the far left made the biggest block i could and made a pin and made a small rectangle then made another rectangle down and set another pin and made a long shalf for the flag but when i do this it shakes too much and shakes the ball off... oh well

See what happens if you first add a pin or a hinge to the ball itself and then draw a shape around both the ball and one or more obstacles, or if you remove the hinge/pin from superimposed shapes (of which the ball can be one).

Love this game. A few things that I would like to see in a future version...1. I don't think you should be able to pin or hinge the red ball/square. I got a lot more satisfaction when I had to build an elaborate set of levers than when you could tie a big weight to the ball and throw it off a cliff.
2. It would also be good to have a build area and a non build area so that you could set up devices to project the ball without being able to escort it all the way- like in level 13 where there is not enough space to build everywhere.
3. Also the expansion effect that can be used to propel the ball should be removed- where a hinge can be placed, a shape drawn, hinge removed, shape and ball try and occupy the same space, pushing one away from the other.

Fist in the annoying boc I drew a hinge (Make sure the ting that bashes the ball is draws almost up right (Oh Don't forget the ramps) Then It will crash down onto the ball sending it up one ramp almost two (If the ball starts to move backward just draw a straight line and a rectangle should appear to stop it)

Next I drew a straight Line strating from the tip of the box down ot the floor of the second floor, then I drew a pretty big ball and boom upi t went ^.^

I've made it through this game, improving my score where I can, and can get to a score of about 70. For those of you who have figured out how to score in the 30s, would you at least pass along which levels need only one item to pass them?

I've made it through, and after trying some levels many times I can get a score of 70.

I have no idea how people can get in the 30s. If any of you who can do that well are reading this, what are the levels you can't get with one block? No need to tell how, just wonder which ones I need to try harder on.

Holy crap! I had no idea that you could actually attach shapes to the ball or block. I found out after I had already beaten the game and googled to this page. If I had known that, it would have been a heck of a lot easier.

If you want a real challenge, do what I (accidentally) did -- try beating the game without attaching anything to the ball/block. It just took me 3 hours and change.

I am so addicted to this game and I really am not that good at it (physics are not my strong point), but I just have to figure out a way to solve each level- I still have a lot of levels to go though! I have been playing for HOURS at a time!!!!

I beat the entire game without ever pinning anything to the ball or the square. Didn't realize I could. The mechanism I built to capture the ball or square were tedious. i wish I had known. Try it for a challenge. That also goes for the obstacle blocks. The one with the square and the rotating propeller side by side I actually built a mechanism to punch the ball through the small hole the first time through. Just as I was rolling it to the bottom flag I hit the space bar by mistake. I literally screamed.

I strongly recommend not to watch that until you spent 3 full days searching your own way. This vids can kill you imagination... and this delightful game really deserves efforts !
soon will come the ud-to-date vid with 3 shapes less

The only levels I can't yet do in one shape are
6 - using 2
8 - using 4
14 - using 2

Using odd shapes:

You can create odd shapes that can pull the ball or square thru objects. Example: level 11, place a pin in the ball start your line just above the left side of the ball, go under the pin on the ball and and loop around the support to below the ball and let go of the mouse

Pinning and unpinning:

Level 7 is a good example: Place a pin in the ball and create a ramp that goes thru the ball and over the gap but leaves space at the top. Then delete the pin, the abll will pop up and roll down the ramp.

Pin the Bar above ball on left side, start your crayon at lower left corner, up and over pin to inside space, keep to the top of each space going right to the top right then come down just short of ramp and let go of mouse.

Pin the ball, start at above left of ball, draw to left and down around to bottom, up and over see-saw, down to level with upper flag up an over wall to right side up to top right corner, continue slowly across top watching your crayon meter at the bottom, when meter is almost out, release mouse.

I like this game. But I can't get in. I clicked "play" and then the preloader and ad disappeared. The game froze on a blue screen with snowflakes. What do I do? On Mofunzone I could rickt-click and press play. But I want to play free play. What do I do?

Level 15 is pretty easy, I did it with 2 shapes. All you have to do is:

Put a hinge in the floating square in the middle, put a pin on the box, draw a long thin rectangle going through both and out to the right side as far as you can go, then drop a huge circle on the right side to spin it around.

All in one shape, except for 6, 8 , 14 and 19. This last one is really bugging me, since I know it's solvable. Anybody that can give me a hint on how you drew it to solve it in one shape? I know the drill, just can't seem to get it right this time!

pin ball on lower left corner, start drawing on side of smaller tree about halfway up, draw srtaight to pin and turn right across shelf, follow shelf down to bottom and turn right again across bottom, continue right and go under tall shelf until under flag. Let go of mouse, let shape lift ball and create ramp to flag. Now delete the pin, ball will shoot out on to ramp and voila!

Unfortunately, I'm restricted to dial-up on my home computer, and I can't get the game to fully load. (Or, it loads on the snowman page, but when I press 'play', it goes to a blank 'paper' screen, and nothing else shows up (except the side ads and top game squares banner). I have NoScript on my Firefox, but even allowing all scripts didn't change anything.

Is there a download for this game? Or any other ideas for playing it on dial-up?

(I did manage to play at work, on a faster connection, and it's pretty awesome.)

hey i got a cool solution to level 26... it's simple. you pin the square and draw an uncompleted shape (it will complete it for you) around the box above the ditch. dont do anything else and it will catch the flag. i hope no one else figured this out

I have a total blast playing this game. After I finished it, there still fun available as you can make the earlier easier level complicated. I even created a kart that delivers the circles/squares to the flags.

Tips guys, its a physics game so get ready to built ramps, cranes, levers, etc.

One method that has helped me tons is a weighted sling shot over a tall pole. (you know, chains leading from the red object to the other side over a pole and add a weight to the opposite side). To help, you need to make the block going over the pole a long rectangle (make it so it is like a T), and that block will have two hinges and two pegs, one on each end. DO NOT CONNECT IT TO THE POLE if it is possible.
From the left to the right of the block you have: end of block, hinge, pin, pole, pin, hinge, end of block. On the pins, you attach a long block that will be running alongside the pole. You start on these first after drawing the rectangle and putting on a pin. Repeat on other side. These are important BECAUSE they are needed to keep your block
Second, you add the hinges, and then make a chain, and connect the final block to the red object.
A note: if the top rectangle object is starting to tip over by alot, then you have to add some weight to the opposite side. (red object side goes down, Flag side goes up, add weight to the flag side until block is level, then you just continue on.)
Step 3, when you have added plenty of weight to the opposite side of the pole, then you must add some more weight so as to make sure it tips over on that side. Then you just erase the blocks connected to the top block by the pegs. Those blocks are the reason your work did not fall over ahead of time. Now, all you have to do is add more and more weight on the Flag side until it goes up and over the pole (or until you get the flag and complete the level whichever comes first.
If the weights on the flag side land on the ground, just keep on adding weights on the links that arn't touching the ground. Warning: this method takes ALOT of block to do it.

Can you please tell me a place where I can download this flash game for my hard disk? Please tell me

[Edit: If you're playing this in a browser, then the file already exists on your hard drive. You'll need to locate it within your browser's cache. If you're using Firefox or Camino, then typing "about:cache" in the address bar gets you to an interface where you can browse what's in there. Then list cache entries on the "disk cache device". Search through the list for "magic pen" or similar for the .swf file. Click it, and then on the next screen, right-click and save as to your desktop. -Jay]

I'm stuck on level 10, and it appears that some people can hinge or pin the red ball. I have seen video of this being done but am unable to do this, I have tried multiple browsers. Was this a bug and now its fixed? Only items I can hinge or pin are ones that I make which makes it much more difficult... any help is appreciated

I am a teacher and work with educational technology. Many schools use MAC format and some now are going to linux. Your system is very narrow by using windows only. More and more of the world is finding other operating systems are more dependable.

[Magic Pen is a Flash game and as such is available to play on all platforms, Windows, Mac and Linux. That being said, I'm a Mac user myself, I absolutely despise Windows, and I prefer to play all my games on the Mac. So, you're preaching to the choir, as they say. ;) Trouble is, while the world may be changing its ways (it's about time!), most new download game releases are still targeted to the Windows platform first and foremost considering the dominant platform that it still is. It's not our "system", as you make it out to be. It's the way the games industry is at present, unfortunately. -Jay]

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